If you have a friend on Facebook who constantly updates you about his or her workout routine or gym activities, there’s a chance that this person is suffering from a psychological problem. That’s the claim of a study carried out by psychologists at Brunel University.
To arrive at the conclusion, data from 555 Facebook users who accomplished online surveys measuring the “Big Five” personality traits like conscientiousness, openness, extroversion, neuroticism and agreeableness were gathered.
Based on the findings of the research, people who document every workout on social media tend to be narcissists. Researchers believe that they are driven to share this type of stuff to boast about how much time they invest on their appearance.
”Narcissists more frequently updated about their achievements, which was motivated by their need for attention and validation from the Facebook community”, the study said.
The researchers also found that these posts amass more likes on Facebook compared to other types of posts. However, they noted that this does not necessarily mean that people enjoy seeing their “bragging posts”.
Dr. Tara Marshal said: “Although our results suggest that narcissists’ bragging pays off because they receive more likes and comments to their status updates, it could be that their Facebook friends politely offer support while secretly disliking such egotistical displays.”
Furthermore, the research also found that people suffering from low self-esteem more frequently post status updates about their romantic relationships.
What is narcissistic personality disorder?
According to Mayo Clinic, it is a mental disorder in which the person affected has an “inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy of others”. A person who suffers from this disorder has a sensitive self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
It causes problems in many aspects of life such as financial, work, school and relationships.